Insurance Motive In Animal Cruelty Case

By Jessica Taloney Reporter
.

A special education teacher is accused of killing her horse and burning down her barn for insurance money. Insurance Motive In Animal Cruelty Case
Published: Fri, June 13, 2008 - 4:36 pm Last Updated: Wed, September 03, 2008 - 6:47 pm
Jessica Taloney
Jessica Taloney
A special education teacher posted a $50,000 bond, after police arrested her for killing her horse and burning down her barn to cover it up.
Investigators say Brenda Gradia, 41, confessed to shooting the show horse to collect a $100,000 insurance payout.
Gradia recently bought the animal for $800.
More than a half dozen law enforcement agencies worked together for two weeks to uncover the plot.
Renee Jones, an animal cruelty investigator for the Escambia County Humane Society, said she knew something wasn't quite right when she spoke to Gradia at the fire scene.
"When I arrived expressing that to Mrs. Gradia how horrible this must be, she responded with well, we've only had her for a month and she's insured," said Jones.
Flomaton Police Chief Mike Lambert says this may not be the first time Gradia has used her animals to profit through insurance fraud.
In December, Lambert says Gradia illegally collected $30,000 for a horse she says died from a snake bite.
Gradia is charged with theft of property for receiving the insurance payout last year. She's charged with arson, theft by deception and animal cruelty in the most recent case.
Gradia is a teacher at King Middle School in Milton, Florida.


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I was wondering if this teacher is going to be taeching when school starts back.  Are our children safe?

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This woman is a spec ed teacher at King Middle School in Milton???

How scary is THAT?  Do the parents know what she’s capable of?  And why does she still have possession of any animals?

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This women should be horse whipped smile

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AND PS- I will gladly hitch a trailer and get these other horses to safe homes if they did not take them due to space limitations issues. Give me a person to contact in Flomaton, if foster homes are needed for these horses. I know people in Alabama and Mississippi as well as other states that would help out to prevent other horses from being murdered.

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I read the article from the Press-Register that states this woman still has horses in her care! Livestock are not protected as are domesticated animals under the Gucci law. However, in my opinion, that law is worthless unless it is enforced. More often than not it seems, the law IS NOT enforced, as we see so many abandoned, mistreated and neglected animals in our communities.

Can WKRG find out more info on WHY she still has animals in her care after blatantly admitting she killed the horse for greed? According to the article, there was no legal reason to take the horses, but to me that is insane. That is in effect saying, it’s OK you murdered this horse, we’ll leave the rest with you, but be a good girl and don’t harm them, OK? Can you contact some legislatures for their opinion, and what WE as a community need to do to make the laws tougher, and to get them ENFORCED?

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SICKEM RMSEEK1234! Tell it like it is! Here in mobile county we need a more aggressive policy to Animal abuse and prosecution of similar cases. I sure would like to see a lot more of these spay and neutering clinics at reduced prices. I know the vets have to make a living but you can’t afford to do it if you’ve got 5 or 6 strays that have taken up home with you. If you take them to the pound it’s like giving them a death sentence and if left as is you end up with more that you can’t properly care for. Really is heart wrenching isn’t is? Anyway give’em the dickens girl!

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Once again, Escambia County does a great job. Has Mobile prosecuted any cases of animal cruelty? Has Mobile done anything about these people that leave their horses to starve to death, or tied up? What about the “boneyard” we had here in Mobile last year-repeated reports to area agencies, and blow offs to citizen complaints. Perhaps our “investigators” ( and I use that term loosely), need to train with the Escambia County people.

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